2021 Model Code Update – What’s New?
The 2021 code development cycle is complete, and although it may take some time for the new model codes to be adopted, it’s important to know what changes to expect.
Minneapolis High Rise Fire – Lessons Learned
We MUST continue to educate people on the importance of keeping their fire door assemblies performing properly. An annual fire door inspection could have saved lives in this fire.
REEB: Understanding Fire Door Ratings
Someone asked me recently why distributors are still ordering swinging fire doors with a neutral pressure fire rating. I don't know the answer to that...do you?
6 Locked Doors & More
I'm participating in three sessions at next week's virtual DHI conNextions conference...I hope to "see" you there!
Looking Forward & Looking Back
I'm participating in three sessions at next week's virtual DHI conNextions conference...I hope to "see" you there!
Counterfeit UL Labels
Fire door assemblies with counterfeit labels - am I the only one who finds this an extremely disturbing idea? Who knows how these doors will perform if there is a fire???
FF: Go to the Mat
I can't say for sure that is a fire door assembly, but I've seen this Fixed-it Friday application on fire doors many times in school gymnasiums.
Stop by and “see” me this Saturday!
Do you have some free time on Saturday? I'll be participating in a (free) virtual trade show and I'd love to have you stop by my virtual booth and visit!
FF: Exterior Fire Protection
Fire door assemblies aren't just something you read about in NFPA 80 - they have an important role in the passive fire protection of a building. Here's another fire door win!
SDI: Fire Door Inspection Checklist (video)
The Steel Door Institute (SDI) just released a new video that covers the annual inspection requirements for fire door assemblies. Feel free to share it!
Upcoming Training / Code Update
I'm finishing up my presentation for the DHI conNextions conference - covering the changes to the 2021 model codes, and I need your help!!
This Week’s Training Opportunities
In case you missed Paul Timm's webinar last week, the recording is now available. And...our national trainers will be conducting 4 live sessions tomorrow.
FDIS finds three quarters of fire doors failed inspections in 2019
Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS) is a UK-based organization dedicated to fire door safety. Sharing this information about US fire doors could improve building safety.
WW: Stairwell Reentry
These WW photos illustrate a creative attempt at meeting the requirements for stairwell reentry, while inadvertently voiding the fire door label.
FF: Auditorium Fire Exit Hardware
If your fire exit hardware shows up on the job-site without the dogging feature, there's a good reason for that. Homemade dogging is not a valid fix!
QQ: Does NFPA 80 “trump” the ADA?
Today's Quick Question: Do the requirements of NFPA 80 "trump" the ADA requirements? Is fire protection more important than accessibility?
More (and More) e-Learning
I think online learning is here to stay. Which doesn't mean that we'll never see each other in person again, but there's a lot we can learn in the meantime.
WWYD? Questions about Relabeling?
I have an opportunity to do a Q&A with a company offering field relabeling/recertification of fire door assemblies, and I want to make sure that I don't miss any questions you may have.
Touchless Fire Doors
Several questions were prompted by my recent webinar on touchless hardware, about the requirements addressing automatic operators and non-latching hardware on fire doors.
Last Call!
There are SO MANY great opportunities to learn something new this week! Please share this list with any of your colleagues who might be interested!
Touchless Openings (and more!)
Many facility managers are exploring ways to reduce the transmission of germs in their buildings, but don't forget about the code requirements!
QQ: Cladding on a Fire Door Assembly
Today's Quick Question is a very common one...Can cladding materials be applied to the face of a fire door assembly?
Code Update: Terminated Stops on Fire Door Assemblies
I have had quite a few questions about terminated stops on fire door assemblies, so this change to the 2021 IBC should help to clarify what is allowed by code.
Tomorrow is Webinar Wednesday
Our national trainers are continuing with their Webinar Wednesday series - classes are currently scheduled into August. Feel free to share this information with your colleagues.
Introduction to the Code Requirements for Electrified Hardware
Many of you already know this (900 of you have already signed up), but this Thursday I will be presenting another webinar. If you're on the fence about whether to attend, this post might help.
Don’t take my word for it.
In case you missed this short paragraph in the NFPA Journal article I shared on Monday, I wanted to bring it to your attention since several iDigHardware readers emailed me about it...
NFPA: Fire and Life Safety Insights for Reopening Buildings
NFPA has compiled more than a dozen new resources including videos, fact sheets, and news releases, which can all be found at nfpa.org/coronavirus.
This Week’s Webinars
This week we have 5 different webinars available, so you can continue your training online. Check out the options - there's something for everyone!
SDI: Fire Door Assembly Inspections 101
I receive a lot of questions about the code requirements for fire door assembly inspections, so when the Steel Door Institute asked me to write an article on the subject, I was more than willing!
QQ: Field Labeling of Fire Doors
Today's Quick Question: Can an existing fire door be labeled in the field for a higher rating than what it was originally listed for?
WW: Another Day…
Raise your hand if you've seen a fire door like this. Now wave a virtual hello! :D A fire barrier can't do its job with a big hole in it!
QQ: Sealant/Caulk Around Fire Door Frames
Today's Quick Question: Is sealant required around a fire door frame - where it meets the sheetrock?
QQ: Manufacturing Tolerances on Fire Doors
If NFPA 80 requires 1/8-inch or 3/16-inch maximum perimeter clearance for fire door assemblies, is it acceptable to add the manufacturing tolerance to that dimension?
Closed Doors in the News
Three recent news stories - two illustrating the benefits of closed residential doors, and one from Kristin Bigda at NFPA regarding fire door operation and the Coronavirus.
WWYD? Memory Care “Signs”?
One side of this device is attached to the door with double-sided tape, and the other side is magnetic. It is used in a memory care facility to indicate whether a resident's room is vacant or occupied. WWYD?
Updated FDAI Cards (and a label question)
The new fire door inspection cards have been updated, and they will be printed and laminated soon! Thank you for your patience! (I also have a label question for you.)
FF: Spring-Loaded Top Latch
It's fire exit hardware, so it has to latch!
Decoded: Extraneous Labels on Fire Door Assemblies (April 2020)
If a labeled fire door is installed in a location where a fire door is not required, must the assembly be maintained and inspected according to the requirements of NFPA 80?
Fire Door Inspection Cards
Do you use our laminated fire door assembly inspection cards? I could really use your help!
FDNY Commission Daniel Nigro on Up Close
Yesterday, FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro spoke with Bill Ritter on the show Up Close about recent fires that occurred in NYC, where open doors had a negative impact on safety.
Two Kitchen Fires
Fire, panic, and other emergencies can strike anywhere, any time. To offer the highest level of protection, buildings must be code-compliant everywhere, all the time.
Six Locked Doors – Watch it.
This documentary should be required viewing - not just for those of us who are involved in codes, but for anyone who enters buildings (that means everyone).
FF: Permanently Dogged
Another Friday, another "fix." This fire door probably won't perform as designed and tested, should a fire occur. Why does convenience so often win out over safety??
FF: Angled Opening
Check out this opening, installed on a ramp in a restaurant. The building was originally a warehouse for a grain mill and other materials shipped by train during the mid-1800s. Can you see the "fix"?
FF: Clamp Hold-Open
The creative solutions never end! RB Sontag of Allegion sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photo, and if this is a fire door, we've got a problem.
FF: Wood Wedge Problem Solvers
There's more than one way to hold open a door for convenience, and if it's a fire door, the method needs to be code-compliant. Here's a great Fixed-it Friday example.
Extraneous Fire Door Assembly Labels
If a door or frame has a label indicating that is is fire rated, is the assembly required to be maintained and inspected as required by NFPA 80 and NFPA 101? A proposed code change offers a clarification.
Locksmith Ledger: Codes Matter – For the Safety of Building Occupants, AND Your Bottom Line
This article was published in the October 2019 issue of Locksmith Ledger, and includes some questions that you can use to determine whether your code knowledge is up-to-date.
QQ: Do all fire exits have fire exit hardware?
Do all fire exit doors have fire exit hardware? Even if you already know the answer to this question, today's blog post might help you explain it to someone who disagrees.
Training Opportunity (with AIA and DHI credit)!!
If you're anywhere near Cleveland, Ohio, I just found out about a great opportunity on Thursday, November 7th for you to attend our Code Update Roundtable!